Memories
by Dwiddle
Summary: AU After getting on the bus to go home, Will encounters a strange man, who tells him the story of his tragic past.
1. Chapter 1

Will Shuster exited the convenience store with his bag in hand and a cell phone in the other placed against his ear. He rubbed his forehead in exhaustion due to the voice coming from the other side.

"Did you get everything on the list?" his wife, Emma, asked quickly. Her tendency to call frequently to make sure her husband was safe and sound grated on the husbands nerves.

"Yes" Will responded through a sigh.

"Do you have your pass? Your money?"

"Yes, yes don't worry I have everything."

"Okay….. Okay. I just don't…." she paused. When she answered, it sounded as she was on the verge of tears. "I don't want anything to happen."

Ever since Will left for Pittsburgh to visit his family, Emma has been calling frantically to make sure he was okay. No car crashes, no robberies, no fires, nothing. It was sweet whenever you heard about it; the loving wife never wanting anything to hurt her precious husband. But to Will, it was repetitive and annoying. _"I can take care of myself for god sakes! I'm a grown man."_ He needed to somehow reassure her without her having to call back in twenty minutes and without him soundly like a complete jackass.

"Don't worry Em, I'm fine, and I'll stay that way." It probably wasn't the best way, but at least he was honest with her without sounding too horrible. He was able to take the bus to Pittsburgh from Ohio without any problems, and it will be the same to take it vice versa. His words did seem to calm her down to an extent.

"Okay. I need to go now. I have to finish vacuuming the house. I love you," she rushed out.

"I love you too Em" and he promptly hung up his cell phone. He loved Emma with all of his heart, but sometimes she could get clingy and annoying. And, from what Will can guess, she probably already vacuumed the house about twenty times since he's been gone. Not a speck of dirt will be in the house.

Time passed and his Greyhound bus arrived. He got on, and luckily for him, an empty seat was available near the front of the bus. He trekked over and sat down by the window, placing his bag on the seat beside him. He rubbed his shoulders from the weight of it. Grabbing a granola bar out of his bag, he started leisurely eating it waiting for the bus to depart. After an hour, the doors to the bus closed. "_Time to be heading home_" Will thought, laying his head back and closing his eyes.

A sudden loud bang erupted through the air, destroying the silence that was before it, with many more of the same bang coming after it. The bus driver opened to the doors and who came on was a man. He was tall, certainly tan, and well built. He wore raggedy jeans that look like they haven't been washed in months, and a long tan trench coat covering up his body. In short, he looked homeless. The weirdest thing about him though, Will saw, was he had a silver colored Mohawk on top of his head. The need for a man of his age or around that to have that colored hair was baffling to him.

Looking around he saw that the only other seat available was the one his bag was occupying, and he really, REALLY, did not want to sit next to this man. He was very intimidating, and even that was a huge understatement. Sadly, it was not his choice as the man noticed the seat and started walking over.

Will sighed and moved his bag to the compartment above the seats to allow the man to sit, and he stared out the window, not wanting to even make eye contact with him.

He hadn't felt the seat beside him shift or dip at all, so he looked up to see the man staring at him, his eyes set in a glare.

"I believe, you're in my seat" he said, his voice low and sounding more like a growl than anything else. Wondering what he meant, Will found out he probably wanted the window seat. He knew when to fight back and when to let a crazy ass man have what he wants. So he gingerly got up and let the man take the seat by the window, before sitting back down in the outside seat.

The bus roared to life, they were heading off to Ohio.

"_This is going to be a long ride after all"_ Will thought, forlornly. And now he couldn't even look out the window without seeming as though he's staring at this man. But, why should it have to be a tense ride? Hasn't he always told his students to never judge a book by its cover? To accept everyone equally no matter what? So what if this guy looks like a raggedy old hobo. Maybe in reality he really is one of the smartest men alive? _"Worth a shot to try and talk to him."_

Sticking his hand out, Will said with a grin "Hey, the names Will Schuster."

The man looked over with a skeptical eye, but returned the handshake with great force. "Name's Noah Puckerman. But call me Puck".

"_Puck? Strange name. Fitting for his look."_ Will mentally punched himself. "_No! You're supposed to be trying to make friends to make the bus ride quicker. Not insulting his name!_"

After a while, the two men started talking like good friends, sharing secrets, talking about the latest sports, and telling about each other's lives. All was well and it seemed like a nice ride, until Will asked the one question he should have left unasked.

"Hey I kind of wanted to ask you something. I don't want to sound rude though."

Puck smiled. "Naw man, you probably know more bout me than my own Mum. What you wanna ask?"

Will grinned, thinking all was well. "Well, I was just wondering why your hair was Silvery or whitish. It seems weird for a man your age."

At that question, Puck froze, his eyes wide as saucers but staring at nothing. Like he was staring at things no one else could see. Nervously, Will started trying to shake Puck out of this trance.

"Puck? Hey, I'm sorry you don't have to answer." Will said trying to get a response, any response from the male. He grasped the man's shoulder and started to shake him. It seems to have worked, as Puck shook his head and seem to return to normal. Puck then went to stare out the window, like nothing happened in the past hour or so.

Will was nervous. All that was in the air was an awkward silence, and it seemed to only get stranger from there. Pucks arms crossed over his chest, and he rocked his torso back and forth. All he could hear from the man next to him was…

"It's my fault…. I could have….. I could have stopped it."

That caught Will's attention. It seemed the man had something on his mind that was eating away at him. Will was always the kind of man who if he saw a student depressed or being bullied or even looking sad, he'd have to help them. It was in his nature. So why should that change for this man? He seemed like a good person. And besides, he didn't want to spend the rest of the bus ride listening to a man mumbling and rocking back and forth like a psycho.

"Um, listen," Will started scratching the back of his neck, hoping Puck heard him and is listening, "You know, if you need someone to talk to, I'm right here. If something's wrong maybe I could help."

Puck looked over at him, his eyes staring at him like he grew a second head. His mouth opened and closed like a gasping fish, as though he was trying but failing to make any words. He then licked his lips for a moment before asking, "Have you ever seen the movie Stand by Me?"

Will's never seen it but he's heard about it from his friends. It was about a group of boys in the woods whenever they went in search of a dead bod…. "_Oh dear God_". Will thought, trying to keep an emotionless face on, while on the inside he was freaking out. "_I'm talking to a man whose seen murder, or worse. What if he's a psycho himself? What if he is a murderer?_"

"Ye…. Yes I have." Curse his stuttering. He didn't want to anger this guy. Even though they are on a packed bus, he bets this man wouldn't hesitate to shove a knife in his gut if he really was a murderer. He didn't even know what possessed him to lie about seeing the movie. Maybe to please the man?

"Really? Well as you know the kids in that movie had a clubhouse. My friends and I had that when we were younger." Puck said, his face cast downwards, in remembrance.

"_Okay, so no dead bodies. The only reason for the reference was for the clubhouse. Weird movie to choose for that reference_." For that, Will felt calmer.

"Yeah, well, it all really started with me and my friends at that clubhouse. We had a pretty normal life for teenage boys. That was until the new kid came."


	2. Chapter 2

The heat was unbearable. That's all Puck could think about on this day. Only two days until school started back up, and he hardly did anything with his friends. Sure, they spent as much time at the clubhouse as they could, but it just didn't seem like enough. Sixth grade was starting soon, and all they had to show for it was a few pranks and some lies to their families. Nothing exceptionally big to brag about to other kids.

Puck was currently at said clubhouse waiting for his best friend to come by. They planned to meet up here to hang out overnight for one last weeknight until the horrors of school came. He heard twigs snapping, and he instantly knew the lumbering giant-like child was about to pop his head through the trees at any second.

And he was correct.

"Yo! Puck! I'm here!" Finn Hudson came through the thicket of trees, and it seemed to him that the only way for a person to know he's right in front of you is to scream his head off.

"I can see that Frankenteen." Unlike Puck, Finn was massively tall for his age, earning him the nickname Frankenteen, and he wasn't as tan. His short brown spikey hair was unstyled and flailed all over the space. His legs were gangly, and even though he's strong, he isn't as built as Puck himself. A lot of girls in their grade, like Santana, even called him fat, throwing those insults around at him.

"Sorry man, force of habit. Is anyone else going to be here today?" By anyone else, Finn meant their two other friends, Sam Evans and Dave Karofsky. Sam was like a mix of Finn and Puck as everyone said. He was more of Finns skin color, but his build could rival Puck's. His abs could even rival adult men's. He had short bright blonde hair, and enormous lips, earning him the nickname Trouty Mouth from all his peers, mostly Santana though. Dave, on the other hand, was huge in the width sense. He wasn't as tall as any of them, but he made up for it in body mass. He could beat up any person at school, and probably kill them if he sat on them. And he could lift more than all of them.

"Sorry, just us two. So Sad" Puck added with a hint of sarcasm.

"No man! That seems really cool! Just us two original buds hanging out!" Finn said excitedly while pumping his fist in the air. It was true; Finn and Puck have been friends longer than anyone could remember. It seems like nothing could separate the two. Except, maybe, the last marshmallow for the s'mores. That caused the friends to give each other the silent treatment. But even that only lasted for about two days until they were chatting away again.

So like that, the day and night went away without a hitch. They did things they would usually do by themselves, talk, play pranks, etc. Puck even threw a newt at Finn, who shrieked like a small girl, earning a long and loud laugh from Puck.

Puck and Finn went separate ways, and after a good walk, Puck arrived home. It wasn't big, but a home is a home, and he loved his to an extent. Upon opening the door, he could hear shrieking coming from the upstairs of the house. His sister must have a friend over.

_"So much for some peace."_

"Oh Puck! How was the night at Finn's?"

Puck's mom walked into the hallway, rubbing her hands her apron. She didn't know they always spend their time together at the club house. Puck wasn't even sure his mom even KNEW about the club house. He did know none of the boy's parents knew anything of their meetings in the woods. Whenever they wanted to go there, each of the boys would say they are going to each other's houses. None of the parents were the wiser.

"It was fun mom," Puck went and took his shoes off on the mat by the door and commenced going to the couch, his haven.

Before he could reach there, though, his mother grabbed his arm.

"Puck, honey, can I speak to you quickly before you go to the living room" his mom asked, and her face, even though it looked at him lovingly, was so stern it left no room for argument. He nodded his head before following her into the kitchen, where he sat down at the table, waiting for his mother to talk to him. She sat in the chair across from him and gave him a serious look. Puck gulped, hoping she hasn't found out about where he really goes when he says he goes to his friend's house.

"Puck, now you're going back to school tomorrow," Puck visibly blanched at that, not wanting to remember, "And there is going to be a new kid at your school. I want you, under no circumstances, to speak to this child. Ever."

Puck was confused at this. His mom was the sweetest person ever. Always talking and preaching on equality of everyone, and here she was saying he wasn't allowed to talk to a new kid who probably didn't know anyone here. That sounded pretty harsh, even for Puck.

"Don't worry, your teacher is the one who called me to tell you this. She's telling everyone's parents right now. No doubt Finn and them are all getting this same lecture right now." Pucks now even more confused. All the parents don't want them talking to this one kid? Why? Was this kid some kind of crazy?

"Why can't we talk to this kid," Puck asked. He was genuinely confused now.

"I won't tell you Puck. It's none of your business. But, if I ever catch you talking, interacting, doing anything with this kid, then you'll be beat so hard you will wish you were dead. And after the beatings you'll have a hell of a lot to deal with afterwards." His mom's eyes look positively serious. She wasn't joking, and that scared him more than whatever this kid is or has done.

"Yes mother," he said in the sweetest voice he could muster up. It seemed to work for his mother. She sat back in her chair and smiled.

"Good, now you can go do whatever you like. But be in bead by eight so you're not groggy in the morning." Puck, again, blanched at what was coming out of someone's mouth, and kept going to the living room, where his couch is waiting. "Oh and don't bother you sister!"

Everyone sat eagerly at their desks, waiting for the mysterious new kid to arrive. No one knew what the kid looked like, where the kid was from. No one knew anything about him. Sure their parents said they couldn't talk to the kid, but they never said they couldn't want to see them.

The bell sounded throughout the school, signaling the start of the first period of the beginning of a long and most likely boring school year. Puck rested his head in his hands, staring at the doors.

Their teacher, Mrs. Corcoran entered the classroom, but stood in the doorway, her back turned from the class, instead looking at something hidden from the doorway. After about 3 minutes, she turned around, still in the doorway. Puck had to say, if he was older, maybe in high school, he'd be all over that woman.

"Class, let me introduce to you to your new classmate." She talked in a monotone voice, like she couldn't care less for the kid. Just then Puck remembered what his mother said.

"_Don't worry; your teacher is the one who called me to tell you this…"_

His mom said their teacher told them not to talk to the kid, so I guess she doesn't care for him either. She then walked all the way into the classroom, ushering the person she was blocking into the room.

Just then a boy walked in. He was so small. His skin was pale, like no blood was running through it, and his eyes stood out from the rest of his face; a bright blue color. It didn't look like he had any muscles from how skinny he was. His brown chestnut hair was styled perfectly, nothing out of place. His outfit though, looked like something a girl would wear. And on his face, was the biggest smile he'd ever seen.

"Class, this is Kurt Hummel."


	3. Chapter 3

"_Will was confused. Whenever Puck said this Kurt kid's name, he said it like a cheesy ghost would on a Halloween special. But it wasn't anything to dwell on for long, for Puck's story was still going on, and he didn't want to miss a second of this. For this man's sanity and his own on this bus ride."_

It's been two weeks since school has started, and every kid and parent kept their word. No one talked to Kurt. No one liked him, and no one hated him. He was invisible, just sitting in the back of class doing the school work alone and quietly. No matter how hard Kurt tried to get kids to talk to him and be his friend during the first week, they all gave him the cold shoulder. So he finally gave up, submitting to his fate in this school.

During class, everyone was working in their textbooks reading Romeo and Juliet.

"_This is ridiculous! Why do I need to know what all these stupid words mean_", Puck thought angrily to himself as the tried to decipher the old English language. "_But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? What the hell does this even mean?_" Puck's eyes drooped closed, and blinked open, falling asleep.

He heard a chair scrape across the floor, and he turned his head slightly to the back of the room to see who made the noise. Turns out it was Kurt, who got up from his seat holding a pencil with a broken tip. He was heading to the front of the class to sharpen his pencil. He didn't look at anyone when he started going up, knowing no one would care for what he did.

All of a sudden, Kurt tripped over the ground. No one knows how, but it must have been over his own feet, because nothing was there to trip on. Once he hit the ground, all you could hear was a sickening Thud and Crack. No one moved, no one even dared to breathe. Kurt's body was still. No one knew what to do. Even Mrs. Corcoran stayed in her seat staring at the student on the ground.

Then, Kurt got up. Like nothing happened, he dusted off his pants and continued to the front of the class to sharpen his pencil. Once he was done he walked back to his seat and continued working.

No one knew what to say. The kid just fell face first into the ground, making a sound equivalent to that of breaking your head, and he just gets up and walks like nothing had happened.

Puck didn't know want to say, and he certainly couldn't concentrate on this boring play any longer, his mind wandering to the mysterious kid. Now, he was wide awake.

"Dude! Did you hear what happened in English today!"

"Yeah it was crazy man! It's like he can't feel any pain!"

"I know it had to have hurt. I've fell many times, and I know what the worst sounds like. That was it."

Currently everyone was in the cafeteria talking about what went on during English class. Turns out news travels fast at a school like this. Everyone was amazed at the reaction, or lack of one, during his meeting with the floor.

Puck didn't want to engage in the conversations. He didn't know what to say. The other three couldn't shut up about it though. Then Dave spoke up, with a scoff.

"Dude, it had to have hurt. He probably was in a huge amount of pain, and just hid it well. I bet you five dollars that he's in the bathroom crying his eyes out like a baby and crying for his mommy." Everyone started laughing at Dave's joke; I grinned but didn't make any noise. Sure, I've bullied my fair share of kids in elementary school, and already today, but all those kids had friends to support them. Kurt, he didn't have anyone.

"Probably, man. No one can handle that kind of fall without feeling _some_ kind of pain," Finn stated while nodding his head, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He was the kind of guy who went along with what another said, just so he wouldn't get bullied himself.

No one in this group ever doubted each other, we come to group votes. And the group vote for today…

Bully Hummel until some kind of emotion or reaction came from him.

But first, there was still a question that was roaming through everyone's minds; why can't anyone talk to Kurt? All they know is their parents told them not to interact with him, and that's how they accepted it. But what's the reason? They had to find out. It could help them find the best way to torture the kid.

So they went to the source: Mrs. Corcoran. She's the one who told all the parents at the beginning to ignore him. She has to know the reason, and if she doesn't tell them, they could find a way to figure it out without her knowing.

Once the bell rang signaling the end of lunch, the boys shuffled slowly to their next class. Afterwards, they were all going to head to Corcoran to get some answers.

"I hate math."

"I hate history."

"I hate you."

"I hate your mom."

Sam, Puck, Dave and Finn were all walking down the hallway, heading to Mrs. Corcoran's room to get answers on the mysterious boy.

"But seriously! Beaste gave me detention for not wanting to graph the damn equations! When are we even going to need to graph equations? She's out to get me." Dave and Beaste have been at it all through the year so far. On the first day Dave commented on her bulky figure saying she could rival any man he's ever seen.

"Guys, guys! We're here," Sam shouted, getting the groups attention. And he was right; they were outside Corcoran's door. Sam grasped the doorknob, and opened it slowly, peaking his head in. Mrs. Corcoran was hunched over her desk, doing what appears to be grading papers.

Hearing the ruckus at her door, she looked up and noticed the boys. She took off her glasses and sat up.

"Well hello boys. What do I owe this meeting too," she said as she graced them with a small smile.

"Well," Finn started shifting from foot to foot, twiddling his fingers. "We were talking and…. Well…."

Puck couldn't take the stalling, so he came out with the question they were dying to know.

"Why can't we talk to Kurt," he asked bluntly.

Corcoran's demeanor changed quickly, from the kind teacher they all love to dark and menacing. Her grin turning into a large frown.

"Why on Earth do you need to know that?" Corcoran's voice was laced with venom.

Now all of them were shifting from foot to foot, feeling the awkward tension in the air.

"Um, well… It because… you see…" Dave stumbled on his words, not quite sure what to say to stop the wrath of the teacher in front of them.

"We just want to know the reason we can't talk to one of our classmates. It just seems… weird that you called our parents to tell us this and we can't have a legitimate reason." Everyone stared at Finn. That was probably the most intelligent thing anyone has ever heard from the Frankenteen's mouth. Even Corcoran's eyes were larger than normal as she stared at the teen.

Corcoran placed her elbows onto the desk and started rubbing her temples. "Finn, I'm not sure if I really believe in your point, but, even if I tell you, what will that change? You still can't talk to the boy. It would be useless facts that will empty out of your brains in a week's time."

The boys couldn't think of a retort to her statement. It was true, to the parent's knowledge. Them knowing the reason would make no difference what so ever in their lives. Or Kurt's life. But they knew the real reason to wanting the facts, which can change Kurt's life and their own.

"Please can we know? Like you said, we'd forget it in a week's time. So what's the harm of us knowing?" Sam smiled, thinking it could lessen the tension in the room.

Corcoran sighed, rubbing her temples even more. Afterwards she looked up and around like she was the victim in a horror movie. Then she stared intently at the boys.

"Alright boys, but if you tell anyone; friends, family, acquaintances, anyone, there will be serious consequences or the lot of you" she said in a whisper. At this the boys perked up, knowing they were getting the information that they wanted.

"Kurt's mother, she's a gypsy. Those nasty, lying, thieving whores are a disgrace." The boys were shocked at the language that was currently coming out of their teacher's mouth. "She's a sin. And his birth from her, that means he's a sin too. That's why you can't talk to them. Their family is just a huge joke, a mess up. It's like their laughing in God's face at this very moment!" She made huge hand gestures, like the more she moved the more her point got across to the kids.

"That's…." Puck started, dumbfounded. "That's the reason we can't talk to him? Cause his mom's a gypsy? "Puck felt as the reason was a punch to the face. He was expecting something crazy, like they are wanted by the law, or are crazy. Not something stupid like being a gypsy. Puck wasn't even fully sure on what a gypsy really was. All he knows is that Kurt can't have any conversations with anyone because his mother wasn't normal.

"Yes Noah, that's all the reason everyone needs." They now knew she was very serious about this. No one ever calls Puck by his first name unless they were truly angry or serious.

"Now, none of what we have just said can leave this room. You must, must promise me this or I will not let you leave." She folded her hands on the desk.

All the boys exchanged looks of understanding and nodded. "Yes Mrs. Corcoran."

She smiled and placed her glasses back onto her face. "Good, now you boys have to leave. School has been over for a while, and I need to get caught up with these grades."


	4. Chapter 4

Puck was pissed.

Finn was pissed.

Everyone in their group was pissed beyond words.

There was only two weeks left of their sixth grade year, and they hadn't been able to get any reaction out of Kurt. They spent every waking moment torturing the kid, but nothing seems to have been working. His face is always straight, emotionless. Luckily their parents haven't noticed yet that they are acknowledging the kids existence.

They've tried throwing him in the dumpsters in the beginning of the year before school. All he did was stay quiet and let himself be tossed in, with that same emotionless expression. At least he learned nobody wanted to talk to him. Except the four; but all they wanted to see were a few tears.

They've tried throwing slushies in his face, but that idea was quickly stopped when they learned that all Kurt did was change his clothes in the bathroom. And coming back to class, his eyes weren't even red rimmed, showing he didn't even cry in the bathroom.

Insulting his mother didn't work either. They used as many insults they could think of to insult the woman, but nothing seemed to make him angry. And they didn't get an angry gypsy on their butts, so they know he didn't tell her.

They also did so much more. The body checks, stealing his stuff, ruining his stuff, throwing him into lockers. It didn't matter what they did, he didn't care. And it was getting to them.

All the boys were walking out of the school building and towards the steps to the park, all the while discussing the Hummel situation.

"There has to be _something_ to make him tick," Sam sighed, slouching to a hunch and dangling his arms. He seemed to have given up on this. Same with Puck and Finn. Dave, though, seemed to be having a different idea.

"Yeah, there probably is. We just haven't found it yet. And we have to hurry." His face was red, seeming as though he'd punch a wall at any second.

"Well," Sam started scooting up in his chair, like inspiration hit him. "We do know his schedule, and where he walks. Maybe we could surprise him and just beat him? That could work." Sam's face looked melancholy, like he didn't like the idea himself. "But, I don't think we should do that."

"Yeah, that's seems like too much. Maybe we should give up," Finn said, his eyes staring at his sneaker clad feet. "I mean, he hasn't done anything all year. So he probably won't in the next two weeks."

"No! We said we'd make him cry, and were go-" Dave suddenly stopped his walking, and his semi-yell, staring at the steps.

Kurt was walking towards the steps coming from the left entrance. He stopped at the top of the steps, spotting the group of boys, his eyes dull like always. Puck wondered if he ever showed emotion, before this town and even at home.

"Well, look whose here," Dave said with a scoff, standing in front of him. The others followed, quickly surrounding the boy, whose back was to the stone steps. He clutched his messenger bag tightly, but otherwise showing no interest in what was going on around him.

"Why don't you ever show us any emotions? We know this has got to scare you." Dave's anger was growing by the minute, as Kurt stayed silent and stared.

"Seriously dude," Finn perked up from the right, "Why don't you ever give us any reaction?" Kurt's expression didn't falter. Instead, it seemed as though he glared at the boys before him.

Dave seemed to notice the almost existent glare and immediately screamed "You have the nerve to glare! At _me_! Is there something wrong with you in the head?" At that, Dave shoved Kurt, who fell into Sam. It seemed as the others got the same idea and started shoving him like it was a game.

Then, Dave shoved Kurt, a little too hard, and not into anyone. Kurt's eyes grew to wide saucers as his torso didn't land into anyone. It felt as though the world was going into slow motion as they all watched the events in front of them unfold.

Kurt's body suddenly fell back and hit the steps, his back colliding with the stone cold stone. His body looked like a rag doll as he fell down the rest of the flight. When he hit the bottom, all you could here was a sickening crack as his head collided with the sidewalk. Once there, his body started going spastic, his arms and legs flailing. Then, he went still.

No one dared to breathe. No one dared to speak. They all stared down at the boy lying motionless at the bottom of the stairs. The only reason for him being down there was because of them.

"_Oh God,_" Puck thought, his breath rapid. "_We killed him_."

Just then, their gym teacher, Mrs. Sylvester (or as some called her Sue), walked out of the doors behind them. They quickly turned around, all their skin as white as a sheet. No one knew what to say. How could they explain they're standing at the top of the steps with a dead boy at the bottom?

"What the devil is going on here!" Her voice cut through the silence like a knife.

As she talked no one knew what to do, what to say. As she drew closer, everyone began to sweat. They knew the inevitable would happen. Would they sentence kids to jail for murder? They all hoped not.

"Well!" Her voice was rising every step she took. They knew they were in trouble no matter what, even if they tried to run. So they just stood there, stark still.

Suddenly a groan came from behind them. Puck whipped his head around, and was about to scream from what he saw.

Kurt was starting to sit up, holding his head in one hand while slowly shaking it, as if he were just waking up from a nap. He slowly sat up, sitting on his knees, and he cracked his neck. Once he shook his head again, he stood up gracefully, grabbed his messenger bag, and started to walk up the steps, as though nothing had happened.

As Kurt reached the top of the stairs, all eyes were on him. Not a scratch was on him, and it looked as nothing happened.

"Well! Are you going to make me repeat myself! What the devil is going on here," Sue bellowed as she approached the group of five.

Before anyone could speak, Kurt spoke up.

"Nothing ma'am," Kurt spoke, in an angelically high voice, too high for a boy, but it seemed to fit his looks. But that wasn't what startled the four boys.

Why would Kurt lie for them? What have they done for him all year? Ignore him, bully him, and torture him, getting to the point where he was almost killed because of them. Why did he defend them, saying nothing was wrong? That nothing happened?

Sue's eyes glared daggers at them, like she didn't believe what Kurt was saying. And she shouldn't, since he really was lying. But Sue just narrowed her eyes and turned away without another word. And after she left, Kurt turned away too, going back down the stairs, and walking down the street and around the corner. All the boys could think was one simultaneous thing.

We're screwed. He's going to tell sooner or later.


	5. Chapter 5

It was the last day of school and the group was scared to death. After the incident at the stairs all the boys were waiting for the call to the office telling them that Kurt told the teachers what they did. He had to, they almost killed him. So they were listening and waiting for the intercom to call their names, sentencing them to their impending doom. What would their moms think? They told their kids they would be beaten severely for even talking to him. So what will they say when they find out their kids not only talked to the boy, but physically made contact with him?

The final bell rang, signaling for school to be over for the weekend. Everyone jumped and ran out of their seats, ready to leave death's home and go home to play with their friends. Everyone, though, except for Puck. He stayed glued to his seat, staring blankly at the desk he was sitting at.

"_He didn't tell._" Puck was confused. He would have beaten whoever did that to him if he were or in Kurt's shiny shoes.

"_He didn't tell_." Or, at least told a teacher, considering Kurt never could interact with other children. But that was only because no one ever interacted to him.

"_He didn't tell_." But, he would probably be dead. That fall would have killed anyone. How didn't it kill Kurt? It was a miracle.

Puck had to rethink this whole year. All the parents told their kids to ignore Kurt's very presence. But, just from this incident, he didn't seem all that bad. He's only quiet because of everyone ignoring him.

But how could he make it up to Kurt? They made his first year at this school a living hell, ignoring him and beating him. Now he saved their asses for not telling when he could have gotten the sweetest revenge against them.

After a while of thinking, an idea struck Puck. He only hoped it could make it up to Kurt somewhat.

Puck saw Kurt's retreating figure walking away from the school on his normal route.

"_It's now or never_," Puck thought before he broke into a run to catch up to the brown haired boy.

"Yo," Puck shouted, still running towards the boy. He saw Kurt's shoulders visibly stiffen, but other than that, he kept walking as if he didn't hear Puck.

"Hey! Kurt, hey wait up!" Puck reached Kurt and placed his hand on Kurt's blue cladded shoulder. Kurt immediately stopped walking and stood still, head hanging low. Puck took this chance to get in front of Kurt and speak to him civil, face to face.

At first it was silent; no one was speaking, just staring. Then Kurt spoke so quiet, that Puck barely was able to hear it.

"Yes Puck?"

Puck stood there, his hand still placed on Kurt's shoulder. His mind was reeling with everything he could say, everything Kurt could respond, and just full out conversations that could happen between the two. But he settled with the one word that everyone says.

"Sorry."

Kurt looked up, his eyes wide. "Excuse me?"

"Dude, I'm sorry I acted like a douche all year. I know it was wrong but I still did it." Puck knew it wasn't a good apology and he didn't deserve to be forgiven, but he wanted to get it off his chest.

"It's okay."

Well, Puck was expecting a lot of things to come out of Kurt's mouth, but that wasn't one of them.

"How can you forgive me? I was a complete ass and…. And…." Puck was at a loss for words. This isn't what he expected to happen.

"You apologized. That's all I could hope for." Kurt's face showed genuine honesty, and Puck couldn't see how he was so easily forgiving. That alone started to make his anger flare.

"But, I have to make it up to you man!" Puck thought of all the ways he could help this boy, but he remembered his mom. And his friends' moms. And everyone in this town. If they caught him interacting with Kurt, he was dead. All because of Kurt's mom he couldn't have any friends. It wasn't fair for the dude.

"But Puck, it's fine. I don't mind."

What. The. Hell? They almost killed him and Kurt's saying it's no big deal? That he's fine with it! That makes absolutely no sense in his mind. And that's not just because he gets C's and D's in most of his classes.

"No dude, that's seriously NOT okay." Puck's voice started to rise, and he noticed that Kurt flinched at the sound level rising, so he tried to regain his composure. He also noticed that he was speaking to the boy who must not be spoken to in the middle of a sidewalk. Even though they were in a backstreet, people could still see them. If only they were near the woods of something.

Just then an idea dawned in Puck's Mohawk covered head.

"Hey Kurt. I know how to make it up to you. Me and the other guys all hang out in as a group. At a clubhouse in a part of the woods. Maybe you would want to hang out with us. Be a part of the group." Puck knew he would have to get all the guys on his side to let this happen, but it seemed worth it when he could see the hopefulness glow on Kurt's face. "I mean, we were rude to you all year and we kind of tortured you too." Kurt gave him a huge diva look, and Puck smiled sheepishly. "Okay, we REALLY tortured you. But honest to God, I know what we did was a huge mistake and I'm so, so sorry. Please did you want hang out with us?"

Kurt stood there looking skeptically at Puck, then at the surrounding areas. He looked to the left when his eyes widened. He turned back to Puck and quickly rushed out a sentence before running off.

"Sure. As long as it's okay with your friends I'd love to come. Just meet me at the steps tomorrow if I'm allowed."

Puck smiled, thinking he made some sort of progress in helping this wounded boy. But he just had a thought come to mind that ruined his good mood.

"_What made Kurt run off so fast in a panic?_"

Puck turned to the left to see what made the boy run off and he saw what he thought was what did it.

An old lady was sitting on her lawn chair discretely staring at him, and most likely Kurt while he was still there.


	6. Chapter 6

The clubhouse was currently lively with noise. It seemed as though if anyone were in a five mile radius that they would clearly hear the fight currently breaking out.

"No."

"Come on man we owe it to him."

"No."

Puck and Sam were going at it, trying to figure out if they should let Kurt be in their gang or not. So far no one was going with Puck's idea, and it was getting to him. Don't they see that Kurt seems pretty cool?

"Wait," Dave suddenly spoke up from his spot in the club house. "I think he should come and hang out with us." Everyone stopped their quarreling and looked at him.

Puck was dumbfounded that Dave would agree with him so quickly, after he felt the least shamed on what they did to Kurt. Even though he WAS the one who pushed him down the stairs, even on accident. "Really?"

Dave held up his hand and sported a small grin. "Hey, you didn't let me finish. Yeah I think we could let him hang out with us. But first, I think he needs to be initiated into our group."

Everyone's heads seemed to cock to the side, not fully understanding the meaning behind Dave's words. He sighed and continued.

"Like they do at colleges. No one can just join any group they want, they have to get initiated. You know, like they have to do something to be allowed into the group."

Everyone in the clubhouse started to murmur in agreement. Except, of course, everyone but Puck.

"_Well, why don't we push YOU down a flight of stairs and see what happens,_" Puck thought angrily. But he didn't say anything. After all, he didn't want to seem like the loser who never agreed with the cool things all his friends want to do.

"Well what do you suggest we do," Finn asked curiously.

"I have a good idea in mind." Everyone leaned forward in their seats, waiting to hear Dave's master plan.

"You know the old house at the end of Forks Street? The one no one goes in because it's haunted?" Everyone nodded at that, knowing the house and its story. Their parents also warned them to stay away from that place too.

_It was an average cliché haunted house story. About six hundred years back a man lived in that house by the name of Carl Anderson Carl was a rude, bitter man, who no one liked, and he lived there with his wife and son. No one knew why the woman would ever marry a man like him. One day the wife died, and nobody knew how or why. But she left her husband and son to live in the giant house by their self. Soon the Andersons lost all contact with everyone. Occasionally you could see them walking past one of the many windows of the house, but that was all. No one even saw them leave to get groceries. It's like they just left the world._

_Then one day a woman was walking her dog down the street and she passed by the house when a scream came from it. Startled and wanting to help she rushed to the house to find out what happened. Upon opening the door, she found the son's body fall out, bleeding from multiple wounds with his limbs in bending in grotesque ways. She then screamed, which alerted more people from the surrounding houses. One of the neighbors called an ambulance and they took the boy. Sadly he died on the way to the hospital from blood loss._

_The woman, wondering where the father was in all this ran into the house in search for him. When she entered the house, it looked like it hadn't been live in for ages. Dust covered all of the furniture and floors. Trash laid anywhere it could stay. But the worst was the blood. Small crimson stains lined the floors, and that unnerved the woman. But she couldn't find any sign of the father in the house at all. So she left and went back to her house._

_Now every time someone tried to enter or move into the house, they'd all either mysteriously disappear. No one dared to go into the house now, leaving it abandoned in the middle of Fork's Street_.

"Well, I was thinking that we could make him go into that house and light a candle in every single window at midnight. If he could do that then he can join our group. If he wimps out then he's not brave enough to be allowed in." Dave leaned back in his chair, looking satisfied with himself.

Everyone was now murmuring their agreement with the whole idea.

"Yeah, I think I can agree with that," Sam shrugged.

"Well it's settled them. Puck when you see him tomorrow tell him the rules. And then meet us here at around nine to get ready."

Puck nodded, though thinking that he made the worst decision of his life agreeing.


	7. Chapter 7

Puck looked up at the sky, seeing how bright and sunny it was. Only a few stray clouds lingered over the blue mass. It seemed as though the sky was mocking him with fake thoughts of happiness and rainbows. He had to tell Kurt about the initiation before they can hang out, and he wasn't sure how Kurt would take it. If he took it badly he could tell his mom and she could do some voodoo crap on us. Puck doubted he would tell his mom that boys want him to do an initiation considering he didn't tell her when the same boys almost killed him. Puck would never get over that.

Puck's just happy none of their parents know what they're doing this late at night. Their who-sleeps-over-who's-house trick has never failed them, so they hope it doesn't fail them now.

"_Puck? Puck, where are you going?" Puck's mom ran at him closing the door before he could exit the house._

"_I'm going to sleep over at Sam's house tonight."_

_Puck's mom's eyes narrowed at her son, her hand placed firmly on the door, not allowing it to open._

"_Shouldn't you ask you mother before you think you can go somewhere?" Puck sighed._

"_Mom, can I please sleep over Sam's house? His mom already said we could." He left out the part where Sam's mom thought that they were sleeping over at Puck's house. His mom didn't have to know that unimportant detail._

_His mom let go of the door, allowing Puck to leave._

"_Thanks mom!" He ran as fast as he could. Everyone is at each other's housed, so none of their moms could ever figure out._

Walking down the sidewalk he turned the corner to the steps, wondering if Kurt was already there. When he did turn, we didn't have to wonder any longer.

Kurt was already sitting at the bottom step, his large blue eyes staring into the sky. His hands were folded nicely in his lap.

Puck stood next to Kurt, but it seems his presence wasn't known to him yet. Puck coughed slightly into his hand to get Kurt's attention. It worked. Kurt jumped slightly and looked over at Puck, his eyes not as wide as they were before now knowing who was by him.

"Oh, Puck. Hello," Kurt said all smiles. "I thought you wouldn't show. But that might be my fault. I didn't tell you a time to meet up anyhow. But I shouldn't have run off, I'm sorry." By now Kurt was rambling and his smile grew faint. Puck didn't want to have to deal with this, so he cut Kurt off.

"Dude, it's okay, we're both here now aren't we?" At this Kurt relaxed again, his smile returning to his face.

"Okay. May I ask if I can hang out with you guys now?" Kurt was leaning forward, waiting for Puck to answer. Puck shifted on his feet, not knowing how to break it to Kurt. So he just came out and said it.

"Well the guys said you could, only under one condition though." Kurt's face scrunched up, as though he were thinking.

"You guys aren't going to make me cut my hair or anything? That simply won't do and I'd rather be alone," Kurt scoffed earning a laugh from Puck. That small laugh made Kurt smile again. "So what do I have to do?"

Puck rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, tonight, at midnight, you gotta go to the old haunted house on Fork's Street and light a candle in every window." Puck waited. He waited for Kurt to yell, turn the other way, and not want to have anything to do with them. Instead he heard Kurt stifle a giggle.

"Is that it? Sure I'll do that." Puck was surprised, didn't he know about the house? Or was he just putting up a front about not being scared?

Or was he truly not scared like the rest of the town, including Puck himself.

"Are you sure? I mean, you don't have to do it if you don't want to."

Kurt gave Puck one huge bitch please looks. "Really? If I don't do it, I won't have any friends. If this is my only chance, I'll do it."

Puck felt guilty. Was Kurt desperate for friendship? Well, obviously he was because the speech he just made.

"Okay, well, meet me here at, like, nine o'clock? Then we'll head to the club house from there."

"Alright," Kurt said, getting up, and then stretching his arms and legs. How long was the waiting there for Puck to show up? "I'll see you then."

"Yeah see ya." Puck turned around and started to head back the way he came, dreading the initiation tonight.

Puck and Kurt were walking through the thicket of woods heading towards the clubhouse. In Kurt's hand held a plastic blue bag filled with something that was a mystery to Puck. No matter how many times he would ask Kurt what was in there, Kurt would say it was a surprise and keep his mouth shut.

They pushed back a leafy branch and found themselves in front of the wooden clubhouse. Seated in front of it was Dave, Finn and Sam, all waiting for the two to arrive. Next to Dave on the ground was a brown bag, full of candles and matches. Sam and Finn waved at Kurt, while Dave gave a smug smirk in his direction. Sometimes, Puck just wanted to punch the bulky boy in his face.

"Hey, um… Kurt." Finn smiled sheepishly, but more like awkwardly if you knew the guy. He wasn't over them almost killing Kurt.

"Hello," Kurt smiled and waved back.

An awkward silence hung in the air between all of the boys. Sam's eyes shifted from Kurt to the bag Kurt currently held in his hand. "What's in the bag?" To make sure everyone noticed, Sam pointed to said bag.

Kurt also looked down at his own bag. "Oh yeah. I brought some marshmallows for us to roast while we wait for midnight." Kurt pulled out two bags of marshmallows out of the plastic bag and dropped the plastic bag onto the ground.

Puck stared at Kurt. Was he treating the guys for making him go into a haunted house just to hang out with them? Turns out it's so. The guys all sported large grins on their faces as they ran to collect wood for a campfire. While the other boys went to collect wood, Kurt and Puck sat on the logs surrounding the fire pit. Opening a bag of marshmallows, Kurt ate one staring at the ground.

"So…" Another awkward silence surrounded the two boys. No one really knew what to say, so they waited for the other to come back.

Suddenly a loud arguing erupted from the trees destroying the silence around Kurt and Puck.

"Finn, we know you can't carry all that so put some down man. Come back for it later."

"No that's extra work. I'd rather carry it all now."

"Dude, it's the same work. Just put them down."

Dave, Sam, and Finn emerged from the woods carrying different amount of woods for their marshmallow roast. Finn wobbled with each step he took. as though he would topple over at any minute.

Puck smirked. "I agree with the others dude. Your weak jelly arms can't handle the wood any longer I bet."

Kurt smiled. "Well he doesn't have to handle it for long. Look," he pointed to the ground behind Finn, "he's leaving a trail of wood. I image children using it to find their way back to the clubhouse." At this Sam and Puck laughed, knowing the reference to the child's tale. Dave laughed, only because of Finn's flustered face at not being able to carry as much as he wished.

Dropping the wood in the fire pit, all the boys sat down while Dave lit the fire. Kurt got up, handing out everyone's marshmallows.

"So Kurt, since you _might_ be joining our club, can we know more about you?" Dave added extra emphasis on the might, suggesting Kurt wouldn't even make it into the club. Puck's teeth clenched around the marshmallow in his mouth, crushing the gooey substance.

"Well I guess that's only fair," Kurt said, impaling a marshmallow with a wooden stick.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Kurt said shrugging. "Ask any question. I'll answer."

Finn spoke up first. "Dude, were you a girl?" Kurt's eyes widened, and then narrowed in a heavy glare.

"Why, pray tell, do you think that?"

Finn squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. "Well, you wear girly clothes, and your voice is all high and stuff. I was just wondering." Finn's voice trailed off at the end, feeling uncomfortable under Kurt's murderous glare.

"Finn, I'm as much of a girl as you are intelligent." Everyone laughed at that joke, and Finn even cracked a smile. After that the uncomfortable mood left as though it wasn't there in the first place.

As time went on they learned a lot about Kurt. He seemed too interesting and cool to be true. He was able to tell them of so many places around the world, because his mom traveled, taking Kurt with her. Everyone found Kurt to be awesome, and they wished they hung out with him before.

"Hey Kurt," Puck announced loudly over the other's conversation, "You always talk about your life with your mom. What about your dad?" Kurt's happy demeanor left, leaving a shadow on his face.

"My dad. He… He's dead." Everyone looked at Kurt, and Puck felt horrible for asking Kurt this question. Puck knew what it was like to not have a dad, considering his dead beat father left his mom when she lost her job and they started losing all their money. He hasn't heard from him since.

"Dude, I'm sorry."

"No it's okay. It happened when I was three, so I can hardly even remember it." Kurt put on a small smile, but it seemed too strained to be genuine.

"Do you know how it happened?" Everyone looked at Sam as he asked the question, questioning him as to why he asked that.

Kurt sighed. "Well, actually, I do remember." Everyone leaned forward in their chairs expectantly.

"We were all in Utah, or Wyoming… Or some place around that area. We were set up camp and my mom was reading me a story. I don't remember which. But a bunch of men came up to us holding bottles, both empty and full. My mom stopped reading and stared at them. They were wobbling on their feet, so I guess they were drunk. My mom pushed me behind her back and my dad got in front of her. Then they started screaming things at us like 'Why don't you let us see that whore for a second' and 'Wonder who the kid's real father is' and things like that." All the boys thought back to Mrs. Corcoran's words and felt resentment towards her.

"At the time I didn't know what they meant, I just knew my mom's grip around me tightened and my dad got real mad. They started screaming at each other, I was so scared. I didn't see anything because my mom. But the shouting got louder and louder until I heard a sudden crash. My mom screamed and ran forward, leaving me alone. I saw him. My dad was on the ground, bleeding profusely from the head, with shards of glass lying around him and in his head. The men left after that, and… and I don't even think they were ever caught for what they did."

Everyone was silent, for no one knew what to say. At the age of three Kurt had to watch his father bleed to death right in front of him and he couldn't do a thing. Neither could his mom.

"My mom's been real protective over me ever since, and who could blame her? If anything ever happened to me, I don't know what would happen to her."

All the boys including Puck thought back to the stairs. What would his mom have done if Kurt really had died that day? Would she have come after Puck, Dave, Sam, and Finn with a vengeance? Probably. Now they all felt horrible, knowing how bad of a life he really had, even with it being sugar coated by adventures.

Kurt suddenly got up and stretched, both arms going high above his head. "Well, it's time to go."

Everyone gave Kurt a questioning glance, still seated.

Kurt gave them a questioning glance back, and pointed to his watch. "Its 11:45. I think we should start heading down now if we want to make it in time."

Each of them looked at each other guiltily. They knew how lonely he was. Were they really going to still make him do this pointless initiation that nobody else in the group had to do? Before Puck could announce his thought's, Dave had to speak.

"Yeah, thanks for reminding us Kurt." He got up too, stretching his legs. Finn and Sam then both followed suit and got up as well. Puck was the only one still seated at the moment.

"Puck, come on. We don't want to be late," Kurt said matter of factly. Was he really rushing doing this to himself?

"This kid makes no sense at all," Puck thought to himself, rolling his eyes. He too then got up to follow the rest of the group. Wishing he would have spoken up to them all.


	8. Chapter 8

A soft tune wafted through the air, followed by many more coming from the surrounding people. Finn, Sam, and Kurt were all humming the same song as the other.

"_I would like to reach out my hand _

_I may see you, I may tell you to run _

_On my way, on my way_

_You know what they say about the young _

_Well pick me up with golden hands _

_Oh may see you, Oh may tell you to run_

_On my way, on my way_

_You know what they say about the young"_

Puck stared at the ground as they all walked and sang to the haunted house. His voice was not joining the melody. He was too busy trying to see if there was any way, any way at all, that he could talk these guys out of making Kurt do this. Even Kurt was dead set on doing this now, thinking it was still the only way to hang out with them. He already proved how cool he was.

It was too dark outside. The moon was covered by the clouds, so their only source of light was from the streetlights on the opposite side of the street. It just added to the eerie feeling that surrounded him. And it was too hot out. All in all, this day was feeling horrible. So why was he the only one feeling as though only wrong could come from this, while everyone else sang happy songs that sounded like gibberish.

Finally, they got to the end of Forks Street, the time Puck was dreading. The mansion laid there looking in ruins. Since no one went anywhere near it, the house slowly broke apart. Windows were broken, half the shutters were missing, and ivy covered all the walls.

Dave handed Kurt the bag of candles and the box of matches.

"Alright. Like we said before, you have to go in the house and light a candle in every window. If you can do that, you're hanging with us. If not, oh well."

Puck looked at the two, and then back to the house. The house was three floors, with multiple windows on each. Then there were about seven at the very top of the house, probably the attic. It seemed to be too many to make Kurt do.

Kurt looked into the bag, and then to the house. "Okay."

He started walking past the gate to the house, not slowly, not quickly, but at a normal pace. Sam turned to Dave.

"I seriously don't think he's even going to go up the stairs." Contradicting Sam thought, Kurt did walk up the stairs. Dave looked to Sam at that and whispered to him.

"He's not going to go inside." After Dave said that, Kurt turned around and looked at them all. "See? What did I tell you?"

Instead of walking back down the stairs and admitting he couldn't do it, Kurt smiled brightly and waved to the lot. After his wave, Kurt opened the door with a loud creak, and entered, closing the door behind him.

All the boys stood in silence, watching the house and the darkness inside of it. Ever since the door closed it seemed as though no life was in it. Puck started to get worried.

"Dude, should we go in? Nothing has happened." If anything happened to Kurt, Puck wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

"No. Seriously Puck, stop being a wimp, he probably…" Before Dave could finish his sentence, a sudden glowing light came from one of the windows on the first floor. Kurt lit his first candle.

"See," Finn said, motioning towards the window, "He's fine."

Then, another light came from the next window. The lights came at a steady pace, and soon enough, Kurt was done lighting the first floor. Then the second, and then the third. All that was left was the seven windows in the attic, and he would officially be in their group.

"Wow, I really didn't think he would be able to do this," Puck stated out loud, watching the lights sway through the windows.

"Me neither," the rest of the boys said, almost simultaneously.

The first light in the attic came, and all the boys waited eagerly for the rest of the candle to be lit.

The second was lit.

The third was lit.

The fourth was lit.

Then nothing.

The rest of the windows in the attic stayed consumed by darkness.


	9. Chapter 9

The boys waited impatiently for the rest of the windows to be covered with the glow of fire, but it never came. The last three windows stayed dark.

All the boys stood awkwardly outside of the mansion, standing and waiting. Finn shifted feet and stared at the ground.

"What do you guys think happened? It's been like, ten minutes."

"Guys, chill. He probably got tired and sat down to take a break," Sam offered, trying to calm everyone down.

"Why would he take a break when he's so close to being done with it," Puck yelled.

"I don't know! It's just a suggestion!" Sam started screaming back at Puck.

After a while everyone started to scream at each other, trying to get their voice heard. No one knew what to do. It's been twenty minutes and the lights were still not coming on in the last three windows. All the boys were nervous beyond comprehension.

"Why did we even make Kurt go in there!" Puck screeched, his voice going many octaves above his normal voice.

Suddenly, a gust of frigid wind past through all the boys and they all went dead silent. There was no wind before that, and it was too hot for that to have been normal. Something was wrong. Something not natural, and none of them had the nerves to speak. They all looked to each other with wide, terrified eyes.

Then, in a split second, all the boys ran. They didn't run back to their houses, or back to their clubhouse. They just ran in the direction they were facing, all going in a different direction.

Puck ran. He didn't stop running. His mind was a huge blur of clouded figures, and he couldn't pay attention to anything. All he knew was he wanted, no, _needed_ to get away from that house. He couldn't stay anywhere near there. So he kept running as fast as he could.

His legs started to burn, and he stopped, leaning over and breathing heavy. Now that he was sure he was a safe distance away from there, his brain started to function properly.

"_What the hell just happened?_" Puck didn't know what to think. First, Kurt suddenly stops lighting candles in the windows for no reason, and then a strange, unusual gust of wind hits all of them. What was going on? He didn't know what to do. He needed to know what to do.

What he really needed was to talk to the others.

From everything all the boys have been through, they always knew that if they got separated at any point that they were to meet up at the clubhouse. Puck needed to go to the clubhouse. But, now he was faced with a new problem.

If he wanted to get to the clubhouse, he has to pass the house again. And he really did not want to do that. That feeling would hit him again, and he didn't know if he could take it. What was this feeling?

Fear?

Hopelessness?

Grief?

Guilt?

Or was it all of the above?

"_Yeah, it probably is all of the above."_

Puck looked back in the direction he came from, trying to muster up the courage to head back. His breathing slowed, but he could feel his heart racing even more than before, knowing he had to go back that way. Whether it was to go to the clubhouse, to go home, or even to go to the store. Everything was that way. So, no matter what he had to go, and sooner was better than later.

After taking a deep breath, Puck ran. He ran faster than he did running from the house. But he didn't look where he was going. He stared at the ground, too scared to look at anything else until he knew he was past the house. He couldn't handle it.

Puck looked up. He knew where he was. Luckily, he was past the house. He stopped running, and started walking the rest of the way towards the clubhouse. He hoped everyone remembered what to do when they split up, not just him.

The clubhouse seemed dead. No one said a word to each other. No one knew what to say. All of the boys were seated away from each other, not wanting to communicate. Finn was in the corner, rocking back and forth, rubbing his arms, murmuring to himself. Trying to calm himself down. Sam stared at the floor, rubbing his hands together, shaking like a leaf. Dave paced the floor in the back or the clubhouse, like he was in a train of thought. Puck didn't know what there was to think about. Kurt, innocent kind Kurt, just disappeared in the middle of his "initiation". Puck knew he could have stopped all of this if he had just spoken up. But he didn't, and he now can see what happens when you don't speak up.

"Maybe, maybe Kurt played a prank on us." Dave's voice cut through the silence, catching all of their attention. Everyone looked at him, and Dave continued.

"Think about it. He was doing perfectly fine throughout the whole thing and suddenly he stops? It seems too weird. This could be revenge on all of the things he had done to him over the year. He probably snuck out the back door. Or, or, or he could have been watching us freak out through on of the dark windows and has been laughing at us." Dave was ranting, but all the boys seemed to have been listening.

"Yeah, probably. I mean, who would forgive us after all we did," Sam piped up. This even made Finn smile a bit.

All the boys believed what Dave said. Even Puck started to believe that was what happened. It lightened the load on everyone's hearts, and everyone started to feel better. The guilt, the grief, the fear, it was all gone.

"_Kurt's probably at home laughing at all of us right now._"

Everyone got up, and left the clubhouse, heading home. Puck smiled, hoping to see Kurt tomorrow, congratulating him on the prank he made. It made him seem like a cooler guy than he was already. He walked home with a big grin gracing his lips. The sun was coming up, signaling the start of a new day.

When Puck looked into his driveway, there was a cop car sitting there. His smile grew fainter, but still stayed there. It was probably something completely different from the whole Kurt debacle. So he walked into his house like he would any other day.

"Hey mom! I'm back from Sam's!" Puck kicked his shoes off and left them haphazardly by the door.

Puck expected his mother to come around the corner and ask how his day was. Instead, a police officer came in her place. He was tall, and intimidating. All they did for a moment was stare at each other. Then Pucks mom barreled through the doorway. Her eyes were bloodshot and she was shaking.

"Oh God Puck!" She ran at him and pulled him into a tight hug, silently crying on his shoulder. Puck hugged her back, not knowing what's happening.

"Puck! I'm so glad you're safe." Her voice was soft, quiet. She pulled back and looked in Puck's eyes, gripping his shoulders tight. Puck saw behind her another cop joined with the one from before.

Then she slapped him across the face.

Puck recoiled, staring at his mother and holding his cheek. Why'd she hit him?

"Where the HELL were you?" His mother screamed into his face, her face turning red after every word she said.

"I was here, at home, when these officers showed up asking where you were." She pointed to the two officers standing behind them.

"I told them you were at Sam's house, and they asked me to call to make you come home. So I did. And do you know what happened after that?" Puck knew, so he stayed quiet. "So now answer this truthfully Puck, how was your day at Sam's house?" Puck looked down.

"Look at me when I talk to you! And do you know what his mom said? She said she thought you two were at this house. I had to calm my nerves before I could answer her! Then we both called Finn and Dave's parents, and they didn't know where the hell you boys were either. I was just about to file a missing child's report on all of you!" She was panting heavily, and Puck was scared of her. He was scared of his mom.

"Excuse me Mrs. Puckerman, ma'am. If you don't mind I would like to have a word with your son," One of the cops came over and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Noah, could we speak to you in the living room?" Puck nodded, and followed the officer into the living room with no questions asked.

They both sat down, facing each other on opposite couches. Then the cop started to speak.

"Now Noah, we were told you were at your friend Sam's house by your mother, and now it turns out you weren't. We came here because we had just a small concern with one of your fellow students. The concerned mother of a Kurt Hummel came into the police station last night wondering where her son was. And we had a tip from a citizen that you were seen talking to him a few days ago. So we just came to ask if you knew where he was. But it seems the problem has escalated. So we are going to ask you simply, where were you last night?"

"You _talked_ to him," Puck's mother screeched from the doorway. "What did I tell you at the beginning of the school year? Were you blatantly ignoring me?"

Puck started to shake. All the reassurance that Dave gave him and the others at the clubhouse left him in an instant. It wasn't a prank. Kurt was still in the house. He has been all night. Something could have happened to him and it was their entire fault.

Puck looked up into the officer's eyes and told him everything from the entire past year, spilling everything out, all the way up to him entering the house, not caring of his mother's furious look.


	10. Chapter 10

Everyone was silent. Puck finished the story recounting their entire year. The cops looked surprised. His mother furious. If he could see himself, he would say he looked like a kicked puppy.

"Let me ask you," the cop talking to him asked, "How old is this house he entered?"

Puck looked up in thought, wondering how this had any significance to finding a missing boy. "Um, I think about six hundred years. Maybe more, maybe less. Why?"

The cop rubbed his temples with his fingers. "Has it occurred to you that if the house hasn't been fixed and red up over the years, the floors could be unstable? The floor could have broken under the kid's weight. He could have fallen through and hurt himself. Right now a kid could be in there with a broken leg or something, screaming for help but no one could hear him. Or, he could be lying unconscious and bleeding, needing assistant."

Puck's eyes widened. He hasn't even thought of that. Kurt could really be in there hurt, and none of them went in there to go help him.

"It….. It didn't."

The cop stood up. "Well, it looks like we need to go there. David come on." At this the cop that was leaning by the doorway stood up straight.

"Alright Wes." Both of them started heading towards the doorway. Then the cop, Wes, turned around.

"Son, you're coming with us. You were there, and I want you there now too." Puck looked up horrified.

"I have to go back there?"

Wes sighed. "I know you don't want to, but you have to. So come on! Get up." Wes grabbed Puck by the arm and led him outside. One look at Puck's mom and he knew that he was dead when he gets home.

The scene outside the house was hectic. This town was small, so news traveled quickly. Puck saw many people he knew there, being pushed away from the house by the cops. Cop cars were scattered all over the street, along with an ambulance.

Puck got out of the cop car with Wes, and he was immediately bombarded by his friends.

"Dude we are in deep shit man," Finn said, his body shaking all over. "If they find him, were dead. If they don't find him, were still dead! No matter what, we lose!"

Puck was silent. He didn't want to answer anyone. Actually, he was angry at all of them. This all could have been avoided if they just let Kurt hang out with them in the first place. And that could have been avoided if their idiot parents didn't tell them to not talk to him. He didn't want to lash out at anyone though, since he was part of them blame.

_I could have stopped it too._

Wes nudged Puck towards the house. Puck stopped walking and stared at it. It looked the same as it did last night, except all the candles were blown out.

"Do I have to go in there?"

Wes nodded, and that's all it took for Puck to turn around and run. Or try to run, because behind him a tall blonde officer stood in his way. The officer grasped both of his shoulders.

"Whoa, slow down there." Puck tried to pry himself out of the man's grip, but Wes grabbed his arm.

"You're not getting out of this kid. Jeff, can you go into the house with him and find the boy, Kurt?"

Jeff smiled eagerly. "Sure!" He looked down at Puck. "Come on, the sooner we get in, the sooner we get out." Jeff leaded Puck towards the steps. Puck's hands were sweating. He didn't want to go in there. He really didn't want to go in there. But it seemed as though he didn't have a choice.

Jeff opened the door, and it seemed as though no one had come in there for a long time. There was dust on everything, and everything seemed as though one touch would break it.

"Well this could have been a nice house to live in," Jeff said to himself. Puck stayed by him, feeling safer with the man with the gun.

Looking at the windows, Puck saw all of the candles were still there, unlit. That was the only evidence that someone had been in there.

"Well, I guess we should start looking." Jeff nudged Puck towards the stairs, and Puck followed, not wanting to leave his side.

Ascending the stairs to the second floor, Puck didn't know what he wanted to see. Did he want to see Kurt, hurt but alive? Or did he not want to see him? No matter what, the outcome had to suck. But he'd rather have him alive and hurt than missing. Or dead.

Once they reached the top of the stairs, everything seemed normal for the house. Nothing seemed out of place, except for the faint footprints on the plush red carpet, visible from the layers of dust.

"At least we can see which way he went," Puck said quietly, alerting Jeff's attention. Jeff looked down were Puck was staring and smiled.

"Well, good job buddy." He patted Puck on the back. They followed to footsteps, but nothing was out of place. The floor wasn't broken, and neither was the ceiling.

"Looks like if he didn't fall through the attic, than he's still in here," Jeff said quietly. They backtracked, going to find the stairs to head up to the third floor.

"I hope we find him." Puck was visibly distressed. He wanted to find Kurt.

"So do I kid." They found the steps leading to the third floor and quickly went up them, wanting to get out of the house as fast as possible. When they reached the top, they were quickly relieved and struck with fear. There was nothing wrong with this floor either. The ceiling was perfectly fine, or as fine as it could get. That meant he never fell, which means he's still up in the attic. They quickly passed all the painting covered walls and ran to the steps for the attic.

Jeff skipped every other step, trying to get to the top quickly, Puck following closely behind.

Halfway up the stairs, Jeff suddenly stopped in his tracks, and Puck ran into him. Puck could feel why he stopped. The air around them now was suddenly a lot colder. The air felt the same as it did whenever they were outside the house last night when Kurt suddenly stopped lighting candles. Puck immediately started shaking, his breathing speeding up.

Jeff pushed his arm back, placing his hand on Puck's chest, stopping him from going any forward.

"Stay here." His voice was tense, not funny and joyful like it used to be. His face showed no emotion, but he thought the same things as Puck.

_Something was wrong behind the door at the top of the steps._

Jeff slowly pulled his pistol out of the holder of his belt, making his way up the stairs, on at a time now. Puck stayed where he was, not daring to go up any further.

Jeff reached the top of the steps, and slowly opened the door with a loud creek. Before he entered though, he looked back at Puck, making sure he was still there. Then he entered the room, and turned the corner. Puck couldn't see him after that. He, again, stayed where he was. Puck waited for Jeff to come back down with Kurt in tow.

He waited.

And waited.

And waited.

But he didn't come down. And that made Puck more worried than before. First Kurt, and now Jeff? Puck couldn't let that happened. He started walking up the steps, but then a thought crossed his mind.

"_What if I go up there and something happens to me?_" Puck didn't dwell on the thought for long. He kept going up the stair without his body knowing, and he was at the top of the stairs, about to enter the doorway. He peeked in, but he couldn't see anything around the corner. So he pushed the door open more, earning another loud creek from it.

"Don't come in!" Puck heard Jeff's voice yell from inside. It sounded high pitched and shaky. This worried Puck more. Instead of listening to Jeff, he turned the corner and entered the attic all the way. His entire body froze at what he saw. He was never going to be able to close his eyes again.


	11. Chapter 11

The first thing that hit Puck was that the room smelled of metals. And it was a very strong smell. Puck covered his nose to try and block out some of the smell that was entering his nose. But that was not what made Puck's blood run cold.

Blood was splattered all over the walls of the attic, splattering in a haphazard way. Bits and pieces of flesh and organs were also scattered around the room, on the ceiling, and on the walls. It looked as though someone had blown up in here.

"The fuck?" Jeff slowly walked around the room, his eyes wide and his hand shaking. His head turned all around, looking everywhere, trying to find Kurt, making sure this all wasn't his. Puck also walked forward, not wanting to be alone near the doorway. He also looked around, noticing that when they got closer to the back of the attic, the blood seemed to intensify. More of the red liquid was making puddles under their feet.

Puck's eyes lay upon a small cupboard door in the very back of the attic. Jeff seemed to have noticed it too. It was slightly open, and blood dripped from inside of it onto the ground below. Puck wasn't sure if he wanted to know what was in there, but Jeff advanced towards it, so he followed. It seemed like forever before they reached the cupboard, but when they did, Puck was frightened. He didn't know what he wanted to see in there, he wasn't even sure if he wanted to look. Before Puck could close his eyes or look away Jeff opened the cupboard revealing what was inside. Puck saw what it was, his eyes widened.

Then his world went black.

"Puck! Puck! Come on wake up kid!"

He heard the faint sound of someone's voice, but he couldn't make out who it was. He couldn't even remember where he was. He just knew he was lying on something soft. His cheek was being patted.

"Puck. Come one!"

Puck opened his eyes and saw two green eyes. Jeff was staring at him worriedly.

"Thank God you're alright." Looking around Jeff, he could see they were still in the house, just on a different floor. Which floor they were on though, he wasn't sure.

"I'm glad you're okay. You fainted on me up there." Jeff said it like it was a joke, but his face was solemn, not funny at all like when they first met.

"_I missed him when he was happy and outgoing."_

"I don't blame you for that though. I almost couldn't move. Come on get up," Jeff helped Puck get to his feet. Once Puck got his feet, he doubled over and vomited, remembering what happened just before he blacked out. Tears came with the vomit, and he couldn't stop. Every time he tried he cried and wretched harder. Jeff patted and rubbed circles in his back and helped kept him steady, whispering things to try and help calm him. Puck stopped throwing up and breathed heavily, trying to calm himself.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. Let's get outside to everyone else. I bet you don't want to be in here anymore. Neither do I." They started walking down the stairs, slowly so Puck didn't lose balance and fall over again. Jeff kept a strong grip on Puck's arm, supporting him.

They reached the doors and exited the house, shaken. Both were pale as a ghost, their eyes wide. Everyone watched them as they descended the stairs to the lawn. Ignoring all the looks they are being given, Jeff walked Puck to sit on the back of the ambulance with the doors open. No one went near him, he sat alone there while Jeff walked away to tell the cops what happened. Puck rocked himself back and forth, not knowing what to do. He still couldn't get that damn sight out of his head.

"_It's my fault. If I would have talked to everyone this wouldn't have happened."_

"You murderer!" A loud female voice rang throughout all the murmuring and caught everyone's attention. Puck looked up and saw a furious woman storming towards him. Her long brown hair was curled and reached the middle of her back. A long green and purple skirt went down to her ankles and her feet bare. A white blouse covered her chest with a green sash. But what caught Puck's attention was her face, contorted in anger. More importantly, her bright blue eyes are what caught his attention.

"You! I ought to skin you alive you Neanderthal! You horrible boy!" Before she could reach Puck, Jeff stood in front of him, blocking the woman from getting to him.

"Miss, I'm sorry but this boy is in a lot of pain right now and I don't see the reason for your outburst." She shoved and pushed at Jeff, trying to get past him, but he stood his ground.

"Nonsense! I have more reason to weep than this boy sitting there! My son is gone because of his ignorant ways! I want justice." She clawed at Jeff's arms, screaming in Puck's direction.

"Ma'am, can I ask you what you mean?" Jeff's hold on her loosened, and she took that advantage and got around him, getting closer to Puck.

"You saw what has befallen him in that home! My son, my only son, my life, he's gone! I will seek justice!" She was right in Puck's face now, screaming and yelling everything she could at him. A crowd started to form around the duo, but she paid no mind, and neither did Puck.

"We came to this place to escape the past. To live a good life. I enroll my son into your school, and what happens? He's ignored, bullied, and almost killed in the span of one damn year. He came home in tears almost every day, saying how lonely he was, and how these four boys tortured him relentlessly. Every time I tried to go down to that school to talk to anyone he would say 'no don't mom, it will just make things worse.' He wouldn't even tell me who the boys were that were doing it or at least what they looked like! He said he could handle it! So I listened to him! See how that foolish choice worked out!"

Puck's eyes widened at the new found knowledge. Kurt always seemed so indifferent about what happened at school each day. Did he really go home and cry every single day? He really did tell his mom about the incident with the stairs, and he even convinced his mom to not do anything. Why on Earth did Kurt still stick up for and defend them whenever they caused him to go home and cry his eyes out? It made no sense. Puck was speechless. But this seemed to make Mrs. Hummel angrier than she was.

"What? Did you think all your bulling made him come home smiling and singing merrily? He used to do that, until your wretched soul came into his life." Puck still couldn't form words. All of this was too much to take in.

She looked around at the crowd that was around them and glared. "You all! You all stood around, ignoring a small child who was being hurt! None of you cared, you all instigated it. You told these children to ignore my boy, and they listened. You're all horrible!" Everyone stared at the ground, not knowing what to say. They really all did cause these events. Some small murmurs erupted from the group, but other than that it was silent.

"I curse all of you! No, I change my thoughts. I curse the boys who were the beginning of the end. I curse you," she pointed directly at Sam in the crowd, "and you," she then pointed all the way at Dave in the back, "and you," she then pointed at Finn, "and finally, you." She pointed at Puck and stared at him calmly. "I curse you too. All four of you boys will grow up too fast. At the age of eighteen your hair will turn silver, and at the age of twenty five, you shall die, slowly and terribly. I hope you all suffer for the rest of your short insignificant lives." Once she finished her curse, she turned and walked to the crowd. The crowd split once she reached them, and she kept walking. She kept walking down the road until she couldn't be seen any longer.

No one spoke. No one knew what to say. How did she know who to curse if her son hadn't told her who was it that had hurt him. After a while the cops directed everyone to go home, to forget what happened. Everyone ignored Mrs. Hummel's words, thinking she was being the crazy gypsy they all made her out to be in the beginning.

Then on Dave's eighteenth birthday, his light brown hair turned to a shiny silver color. Everyone remembered the curse, and everyone stayed afraid for the fate of the four boys.


	12. Epilouge

Will sat there, baffled at the story he was just told. There was no way that story could be true. I was to strange, to out there. He had to have made it up just to make time go by during this bus ride. He stared at the silver haired man, confusion on his face.

"Are… Are you serious?" Puck looked furious.

"Does it sound like I'm joking? I'm fucking serious!" He started leaning towards me, and I leaned back. I don't want to be by this man anymore. He was crazy beyond words.

"So how old are you then?" At this, Puck's anger seemed to simmer down. He looked at his knees and sighed.

"I'm twenty four. I'm going to see Finn. He's turning twenty five in four days. I couldn't handle not being able to see him before…" he didn't finish his sentence. It just trailed off into oblivion. They sat there in silence again, just like they did whenever they first met each other just a few hours ago. Will didn't know what to say. It seemed like one wrong word will set the man off.

"I'm sorry that happened to you." He tried to make Puck less melancholy, but those words seemed to fuel his anger.

"Me? You're sorry for _me_?" Will didn't know what to say. Wasn't he trying to be kind to the man? "I technically helped kill a kid! He didn't do anything! Be sorry for him!" His voice was rising which each word he said, and it started to catch the attention of the rest of the people on the bus.

"Puck, I'm sorry. But please, calm down." No matter what he said to him, it wasn't working. Puck was in his own world now, screaming at the ghosts of his past instead of the man in front of him.

"I don't care! Sorry can't bring him back! Nothing can!" The bus was pulled over and the driver came to the seat they occupied. The man was short and fat, trying to look intimidating to the men in front of him.

"Sir," his voice was nasally. "You're disrupting the ride and disturbing everyone on the bus. So please quiet down or get off." Puck looked at the man with clouded eyes.

"Don't talk to me!" Puck launched at the man over Will. Will got up, trying to push the man back down into his seat to not cause any troubles. The driver looked terrified and pointed at Puck.

"You're getting off this bus! I'm calling the cops."

"They can't do anything! They could never do anything to help him!" Puck was raging and not thinking clearly. After a while the cops came into the bus and, after a long struggle, they were able to subdue Puck and drag him off the bus. But not without him screaming the whole time. Will watched the doors even after they closed.

You could hear Puck's screams even as they drove away with him in the back of the car.

**AN: Thank you for everyone who stuck through with this story till the end! I thank all my reviews and everyone who's followed this!**

**Now, I'd like to say this story isn't over yet. I will be uploading another story written in both Kurt and Kurt's mom's point of view to help tie up some loose ends. So stick around to see those stories because they are in the works now**


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